Family Tradition

Country music singers

Have always been a real close family

But lately some of my kinfolks

Have disowned a few others and me

I guess it's because

I kinda changed my direction

Lord, I guess I went and broke their family tradition

They get on me and want to know

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank, why do you roll smoke?

Why must you live out the songs that you wrote?

Over and over

Everybody makes my prediction

So if I get stoned, I'm just carrying on

An old family tradition

I am very proud

Of my daddy's name

Although his kind of music

And mine ain't exactly the same

Stop and think it over

Put yourself in my position

If I get stoned and sing all night long

It's a family tradition

So don't ask me

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank, why do you roll smoke?

Why must you live out the songs that you wrote?

If I'm down in a honky-tonk

And some ole slick's trying to give me friction

I'll say leave me alone

I'm singing all night long

It's a family tradition

Lordy, I have loved some ladies

And I have loved Jim Beam

And they both tried to kill me in 1973

When that doctor asked me

"Son, how did you get in this condition?"

I said, "Hey, Sawbones

I'm just carrying on an ole family tradition"

So don't ask me

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank, why do roll smoke?

Why must you live out the songs that you wrote?

Stop and think it over

Try to put yourself in my unique position

If I get stoned and sing all night long

It's a family tradition